Teenage centre-back Jacob Bedeau has experienced senior football with Bury – and could benefit from a temporary exit from Aston Villa.
Jacob Bedeau gave away a penalty in Aston Villa Under-23s loss to Swansea City on Monday night but that should not distract from what has been a very impressive impact since his January arrival.
The 17-year-old centre-half moved to Villa Park from League One strugglers Bury as a perceived star of the future but his hitherto excellent displays at youth level have raised hopes among some supporters that he could be making waves in Steve Bruce’s first-team sooner than expected.
And the club clearly rates him highly. After all, it’s not every day you pay just shy of £1 million for a player still too young to buy his own pints, as reported by the BBC.
Naturally athletic and composed in possession, Bedeau has even filled in at left-back on occasions for the Villa reserves and outshone 32-year-old Chrstopher Samba, the former Blackburn defender aiming to earn a contract at the club.
However, you wonder whether playing at youth level may actually hold back his development.
After all, it’s not as if Bedeau is unfamiliar with the rough and tumble of the senior game. Whereas most of his colleagues at Villa will have grown up in the plush surrounds of academy football, Bedeau served his apprenticeship in the unforgiving world of League One.
In fact, he made seven appearances for Bury this season.
Therefore, despite his tender age, perhaps Bruce would be better served loaning Bedeau out next season to maintain his progression at senior level. Consequently, when his chance in the first-team does arrive, he will be experienced and mature enough to seize it with both hands.
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